Monday, November 19, 2012

A controversial statue of Pope John Paul II that some critics said looked more like Benito Mussolini, has been unveiled in its revised form at Rome's Termini Station on Monday.
Sculptor Oliviero Rainaldi expressed satisfaction with the final version of the work, which he said, matched his original vision.

The five-metre bronze statue’s face now appears less stern. And some efforts have been made to give the figure a neck.
The mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, hailed the changes to the statue. However, not everyone was convinced. “They've made it worse,” said Fabio Sabbatani Schiuma, a Rome city councillor. “It looks even more like Mussolini.” Others whisper ''a Pregnant Pope''